Really?
by BethSHeartbeat
Summary: Caitlin is over to revise ethics for her exams but Gerry isn't exactly being helpful. How much will he learn from Caitlin? *This could be worlds most boring fic but if it helps me get an A* then I'll live with it*
1. Ethics? Really!

"Cait." Gerry said trying to sound cheery at seeing his youngest daughter at his door but at this moment tiredness was winning. "Come in." He finally said mindful of how cold it was outside in comparison to the warmth of his flat.

"Put the kettle on then dad!" Caitlin laughed as she parked herself on the sofa and took a couple of books out of her bag.

"Not that I don't love having you, but what are you doing here?"

"I have exams coming up and mum's too busy today to help me revise..."

"So you just assumed I was free? You never texted or rang to make sure I was free."

"You never do anything that's worthwhile though dad."

"I think you're forgetting that I can kick you out just as easily as I let you in!"

"Yeah but you love me too much to do that. I don't hear the kettle boiling yet." Caitlin responded cheekily.

"Fine, you'll have to be quiet though as Sandra's still asleep."

"I can do that, I just need you to sit and motivate me all day, reading stuff aloud is best for me but really you don't even have to be listening. That shouldn't be a problem for you, you rarely listen."

"I seem to remember telling you how easily I could pack you back off home."

"And I reminded you that you wouldn't do that to me. I'll go and set my stuff up."

"Fine, I'm going to go and wake Sandra up then."

* * *

"Morning sweetie." Sandra greeted Caitlin as she walked through and sat next to her on the sofa.

"Morning Sandra, I hope you don't mind me revising here today."

"Course we don't, anything we can do to help. So what are you revising today?"

"Ethics." Caitlin told Sandra as well as handing her two ethics revision guides.

"Ethics?" Sandra asked confused, she knew what ethics was but she'd never heard of it as a school subject.

"It's basically religious views on ethical issues." Caitlin explained.

"Sounds fun." Gerry mumbled sarcastically.

"Well some of us are more open minded than others."

"I'm a retired police officer, how much more open minded can you get?!" Gerry argued.

"Oh well, we'll start with topic 1, relationships. I'm just going to read aloud, you don't have to listen Sandra, I've already explained this to dad."

"I want to listen, it sounds interesting. Gerry if you want TV then you can go through to our bedroom, no distracting Caitlin, or you could do snacks and drinks or stay and listen."

"I want to know what qualifies a religious text to speak about relationships, I bet it'll be a load of rubbish."


	2. Relationships

"So what rubbish does your revision guide have to spout about relationships then?" Gerry asked.

"Gerry!" Sandra moaned.

"Well it starts off with key terms." Caitlin began.

"Explain them all to me then." Sandra told the young redhead sat beside her.

"Okay. Commitment is making and keeping a promise, chastity is not having sex before marriage, conflict is working against each other, love is a deep deep affection. Reconciliation is to apologise and become friends again and responsibility is duties you should carry out."

"Okay, what's next?" Sandra asked.

"Sex, celibacy and contraception according to Christians and Muslims."

"This should be good." Gerry interrupted.

"Christians believe that sex is a gift from God and should only take place with in committed relationships because sex is sacred. Casual sex is devaluing to humans and adultery is harmful."

"See Gerry, you could definitely learn a lot from this."

"Yeah, dad! Sandra's right." Caitlin laughed as she agreed with Sandra.

"I think you'll find I'm in a very committed relationship with someone who I have a deep affection for and I no longer need to devalue myself with casual sex." Gerry argued with mock hurt.

"So you are listening..." Caitlin laughed more.

"Maybe." Gerry replied grumpily.

"Anyway, Islam teaches that sex is an act of worship and should only take place with in marriage. They are against adultery and say that it's theft of the worst kind, also promises to be faithful are made during the nikkah, which is the Islamic wedding ceremony. The pill and condoms are seen as acceptable, however hard to reverse methods of contraception are frowned upon."

"An act of worship?!"

"Yes that's what I said dad! Anyway next is marriage, cohabitation and same-sex marriage."

"I think I'll make food while you do that." Gerry made his excuses before getting up and leaving.

"Go on sweetie." Sandra prompted.

"Most denominations don't have engagement ceremonies but marriage is a sacrament, which means a contract with God involved, in certain denominations such as Roman Catholicism. Catholics are also against same-sex marriage and teach that marriage is purely between a man and a woman, Quakers have welcomed gay marriages for years and Anglican churches may bless the couple. In Islam, families help to find the right partner and often courtship happens before the wedding. The meeting's between the couple are supervised before the wedding, where the dowry is arranged..."

"What's a dowry?" Sandra asked as she was honestly clueless as to the subject she was being told about and the Arabic words were not helping.

"A dowry is a decided amount of money that a groom pays to his bride and then in case of divorce, she gets to keep that money to herself."

"That's a good idea, that would stop men like your dad getting married so many times!" Sandra said loud enough for Gerry to hear.

"Hey I heard that!" Gerry called through.

"You were meant to!" Sandra called back, "Carry on Cait."

"The Nikkah can take place in a mosque or at home and same-sex marriage is forbidden."

"This is really interesting Cait, are you ready for a break yet?" Sandra asked after Gerry had called through that he'd made pancakes.

"Yeah."

* * *

"Cait! No phone until you've done with revision." Gerry told Caitlin as she went to reach for her phone.

"Fine." Caitlin replied grumpily, "Christian weddings are held in a church or chapel because they're considered to be God's house, the purpose of marriage is stated at the beginning of the ceremony and vows are taken. Rings are exchanged to represent a never ending love, they then sign a register to confirm the marriage. In Orthodox churches the couple drinks from the same cup three times to symbolise their life together. An Islamic ceremony includes a recitation from the Qur'an, the mahr is signed in front of witnesses, vows are only sometimes made and a contract is signed."

"There's a lot to learn!" Sandra commented.

"This is only one topic, there's two exams and four topics on each."

"Then I wish you luck."

"Thanks."

"What's next then?" Gerry asked curiously.

"The last section of relationships, divorce and remarriage."

"Let's hear it then."

"In Catholicism divorce isn't recognised, however marriages can be annulled if a partner was forced into marriage or you find out you're brother and sister, don't even comment dad. In other denominations divorce is accepted but remarriage is discouraged if you chose to do it though, a non-church wedding is preferred. In Islam divorce is allowed but only as a last resort, Mohammed once said 'Of all things which have been permitted, divorce is the most hated by Allah'. To get divorced the husband must state at three separate times, in front of witnesses, that the marriage is over. There is then a three month period in which the couple remain living together in case of pregnancy or reconciliation but they can't have sex. Remarriage is allowed in Islam. And that brings us to the end of relationships, 1 topic down and 7 more to go and next is 'Is It Fair?'"


	3. Results Day

2 months later

"Sandra, it's Cait's results day do you want to come and pick up her results with us?" Gerry shouted through to their bedroom. Caitlin had now sat all of her GCSE's and now it was time to find out if her hard work had paid off.

"I don't know, it seems like a family thing and I'm not sure I'd want to butt in on that." Sandra called back, she'd not been able to sleep she'd been worried for her stepdaughter. It wasn't that she was worried that she wouldn't get the results that she wanted, it was just that everything had built up to this day.

"Sandra, you are family! Plus I think she'd kill me if I didn't bring you along."

"Okay, if you both want me there then I wouldn't miss it for the world. What time are we meeting her there?"

"9am, I've made you a coffee and a slice of toast, both of which are getting cold through here."

"Well you never told me that you'd made me anything so yes they'll be cold."

"I feel nervous for her." Sandra told Gerry as they pulled up outside the school.

"So do I baby, just don't let her see that. She worked incredibly hard and you really helped her. Anyway we'll be proud of her no matter what letters are on that piece of paper."

"I don't think sitting and listening to her could be construed as really helping but of course we'll be proud of her. Look, here she comes."

* * *

Gerry and Sandra got out of the car and were now stood with Caitlin just outside the school entrance.

"Are you ready princess?" Gerry asked his youngest daughter.

"No, I feel sick. I can't do this. Go and get it for me dad? Please?" Caitlin replied, the butterflies in her stomach were kicking up a storm that nothing was quelling. Gerry didn't move from her side, a fact which wasn't helping the girl stood beside him.

"No sweetie, you'll regret it if I do it..."

"Sandra, will you go then?" Caitlin interrupted her dad.

"Sweetie, for once your dad is right. You'll regret not getting them yourself, we'll be right by your side when you do though and you don't even have to open them inside if you don't want to. You can go in, get them and come straight back out again and open them later." The redhead in front her that usually displayed a front of confidence that verged on cocky sometimes, was anything but confident today. Exams reduced even the most confident person to a bag of nerves.

"What ever the results are, we're proud of you. A letter makes no difference to how much we love you." Gerry reassured his daughter.

"Okay." Came the reply as she opened the door to see all of her classmates displaying the same nervous expression as she was.

"Okay, there are 4 lines each catering to different letters. They're sorted by last name and well done all of you for getting to this point. You should all be proud no matter what is printed on these slips." The head teacher told them.

"Okay, I'll be back dad and then I want to open them outside."

* * *

"There's some benches round the back here, can we sit there to open them?" Caitlin asked.

"We can do whatever you want sweetie." Gerry replied and then him and Sandra followed the young girl to a bench, which was out of view of passing class mates.

"Straight A's!" Caitlin screamed as she opened the envelope and saw the results that she'd been hoping for.

"I'm so proud of you Cait." Gerry told her as he pulled his youngest into a tight hug, there were tears of pride in his eyes and Sandra's too. "We both are."


End file.
